Eddie Plank vs Rube Waddell: Career Stats Comparison
Eddie Plank and Rube Waddell are close to even, splitting the 8 scored categories on this page 4–4 (8 further counting totals are shown but not scored). Eddie Plank played 1901–1917 as a pitcher; Rube Waddell played 1897–1910 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Eddie Plank (1901–1917) and Rube Waddell (1897–1910) — they debuted in the 1900s and the 1890s respectively and share 10 seasons. Eddie Plank finished with 326 wins and 2,246 strikeouts; Rube Waddell finished with 193 wins and 2,316 strikeouts. The table below sets out their careers line by line.
Quick answer
- Who leads the career comparison? Neither — they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA? Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games? Eddie Plank, with 326 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Eddie Plank's 2,246.
- Who had the better WHIP? Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.
- How many innings did each pitch? Eddie Plank 4,495.2, Rube Waddell 2,961.1.
- Who threw more shutouts? Eddie Plank, with 69 to Rube Waddell's 50.
Eddie Plank
Rube Waddell
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. 8 of the 16 lines below are scored; the other 8 are shown but not scored. Games, starts and innings measure playing time, and losses, walks and hits allowed track how long someone pitched, so they are left unmarked, as is any line where both players are at zero. Rate stats are not era-adjusted, so read them against the run environment each player worked in, or use the PIV card below, which is adjusted.
| Statistic | Eddie Plank | Rube Waddell |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 326 | 193 |
| Losses not scored | 194 | 143 |
| Games not scored | 623 | 407 |
| Games Started not scored | 529 | 340 |
| Complete Games | Leads: 410 | 261 |
| Shutouts | Leads: 69 | 50 |
| Saves not scored | 23 | 5 |
| Strikeouts | 2,246 | Leads: 2,316 |
| Walks not scored | 1,072 | 803 |
| Hits Allowed not scored | 3,958 | 2,460 |
| Home Runs Allowed not scored | 42 | 37 |
| Innings Pitched not scored | 4,495.2 | 2,961.1 |
| ERA | 2.35 | Leads: 2.16 |
| WHIP | 1.12 | Leads: 1.10 |
| K/9 | 4.50 | Leads: 7.04 |
| BB/9 | Leads: 2.15 | 2.44 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Rube Waddell outpaces Eddie Plank 69,450 to 51,914 — driven by per-season impact — 5,342 PIV per season to 3,054 — rather than by longevity, since Rube Waddell played 13 seasons to Eddie Plank's 17. PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Eddie Plank — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Rube Waddell — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
Eddie Plank and Rube Waddell split the 8 scored categories on the head-to-head card 4-4. On the raw scoreboard neither has the edge. PIV, which is era-adjusted, grades Rube Waddell higher. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
How the Eddie Plank and Rube Waddell careers compare
The careers of Eddie Plank (1901–1917) and Rube Waddell (1897–1910) overlapped from 1901 to 1910, so for those seasons they faced the same league conditions. Playing time explains much of the gap in the counting rows: Eddie Plank appeared in 623 games to Rube Waddell's 407. The green cells for Rube Waddell are strikeouts (2,316 to 2,246), ERA (2.16 to 2.35), and WHIP (1.10 to 1.12). The per-nine rows read 4.50 strikeouts and 2.15 walks for Eddie Plank, 7.04 and 2.44 for Rube Waddell. Both had the same role: Eddie Plank was mainly a starter (529 starts in 623 games); Rube Waddell was mainly a starter (340 starts in 407 games).
Eddie Plank vs Rube Waddell: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Eddie Plank or Rube Waddell?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, neither leads: they split the 8 scored categories 4–4.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Rube Waddell, with 2.16 to Eddie Plank's 2.35.
- Who won more games?
- Eddie Plank, with 326 to Rube Waddell's 193.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Rube Waddell, with 2,316 to Eddie Plank's 2,246.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Rube Waddell, with 1.10 to Eddie Plank's 1.12.